To eat..or not to eat...that is the question

I always ate before
I always ate before infusion. Didn't seem to bother me at all.

EAT
Hey Mary,
I am currently on the same regimen as you. I am 2 weeks into my 5th cycle of oxaliplatin and xeloda. I never had a problem eating before or even during my infusion. It is after my infusion that I have had a few problem with food and drink. One such problem is first bite syndrome. The first bite of anything sends a piercing pain to my jaw, but once I get passed the first bite, the problem ceases to exist. I also can not drink anything cold for at least ten days. It feels like swallowing broken glass. It was a challenge trying to figure out what fluids I could tolerate warm. I'm not a coffee or tea drinker. I did find hot cocoa to suffice.( I know it's summer - Ugh!) I also try to make sure that I am well hydrated before the infusion.
Stay Strong,
Karen

Buzzard said:

Eat something that will stick to the ribs for a while.....
Not just sweets but something nutritional, like chocolate...J/K....I would however eat and then try some variations of drink. My taste in drinks changed so much...I use to drink coffee constantly, during treatment couldn't stand the smell...Try Sunkist Orange or Crangrape at ambient temps...sometimes sweet tea with lemon did it...every day was different but when something was not good, it was really really not good. There's usually nothing "middle of the road" during treatment........buzz

I actually packed a lunch
I actually packed a lunch and ate while I was being infused. And one day a week, an organization would come around with a sandwhich cart for all the patients.

Eat
I've never eaten in the morning so I'd never eat before treatment, but it's best if you have something. Hope your treatment goes well tomorrow.

Kim

pascall5 said:

Eat
Hi Karen, I am trying not to stress about tomorrow. I've heard about that "first bite" syndrome. So, only the cold drinks are unpleasant? I could drink berry or herbal teas, etc?
I have read a lot on this discussion board about staying hydrated and so I've been drinking plenty of water with a little cranberry juice for taste. How about nausea? Do you have a port? Facing the unknown has been terrible! How many cycles will you be having? I'm supposed to have 24 weeks over 8 cycles with a cycle = 3 weeks. Is it the same for you?

Mary

EAT
Hey Mary,
I would not stress about tomorrow. I believe that you'll be fine. For me it was a day of discovery. Take it as it comes. You'll probably have sensitivity in your hand to cold. It's a very unusual feeling. Just go with the flow and don't freak out. I carried a list of side effects around with me, so as things popped up, I would check the list to see if it was a typical side effect or not. As for your question on cold drinks, I think for most, cold drinks are the only drinks that are unpleasant. I think I may be a little more sensitive than most. Room temperature fluids for me are even unpleasant. Today is day 10 since my last infusion and as I sit here and drink my room temperature water, it registers in mouth as cold. This probably won't be the case for you and don't think it is for most. If drinking teas are palatable for you than it sounds like the way to go.
My nausea did not kick in until after my 4th infusion. There is or at least seems to be a cumulative effect going on. The nausea has kicked me in the butt these last 2 times.(I also have a very low white blood cell count) The meds. don't seem to work for me. Eating crackers and junk food all day tends to keep the nausea at bay but I can't recommend that. I do have a port. I just pretend it's not there until I need to use it. I am on a 8 cycle course of treatment. (8 cycles * 3weeks = 24 weeks) The exact same as you. If I can help in any other way, let me know. I'll do my best to answer any of your questions but just to be clear I'm not a doctor or even close to it. I'm just speaking from my own experience. Stay Strong, Karen

k1 said:

Eating before chemo
My doctor actually told me to pack a lunch for my first chemo. That seemed like such a weird idea. I was dreading it as much as you were. I only took some pretzels and nuts and a piece of hard candy last Friday, but next time I will actually listen to the advice and pack a sandwich. I understand now that I won't feel like eating much afterward so that is why it makes sense to eat substantially beforehand. I bought myself a very cute lunchbag for the next round to help me get motivated.

K1

eat
I ate before and had hubby go for sandwiches during infusion.....eat eat eat

helped me with nausea....